Dual motor upright vacuum cleaner

Abstract

An upright vacuum cleaner having dual cleaning motor and fan units is provided having a cleaning head engagable with a floor and a suction nozzle and a brush roller rotatably mounted therein. A first motor and fan unit is mounted in the vacuum cleaner for producing suction in the suction nozzle and is operatively connected to the brush roller for rotating it. An upright housing is connected to the cleaning head, the housing having a handle for moving the vacuum cleaner along the floor during floor cleaning use. Contained in the housing are a dirt storage container, a passageway leading from the suction nozzle in the cleaning head to the storage container and a second motor and fan unit operatively associated with the storage container for drawing dirt laden air from the cleaning head through the passageway and into the storage container simultaneously with operation of the first motor and fan unit.

1. An upright vacuum cleaner, comprising:
 a cleaning head engagable with a floor and having a suction nozzle and a brush roller rotatably mounted therein; 
 a first motor and fan unit mounted in the vacuum cleaner for producing suction in the suction nozzle and operatively connected to the brush roller for rotating it; 
 an upright housing connected to the cleaning head, the housing having a handle for moving the vacuum cleaner along the floor during floor cleaning use, a dirt storage container, a passageway leading from the suction nozzle in the cleaning head to the dirt storage container; and 
 a second motor and fan unit mounted in the upright housing and operatively associated with the dirt storage container for drawing dirt laden air from the cleaning head through the passageway and into the dirt storage container simultaneously with operation of the first motor and fan unit, 
 wherein the first and second motor and fan units operate to move substantially the same amount of air simultaneously in the range of 80-200 CFM. 
 
   
   
     2. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second motor and fan units move air simultaneously in the range of 95-105 CFM. 
   
   
     3. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the first motor and fan unit produces a lower suction pressure than the second motor and fan unit. 
   
   
     4. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 3 , wherein the first motor and fan unit produces suction in the range of 10-40 IOW and the second motor and fan unit produces suction in the range of 50-120 IOW. 
   
   
     5. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 3 , wherein the first motor and fan unit produces suction in the range of 20-30 IOW and the second motor and fan unit produces suction in the range of 60-100 IOW. 
   
   
     6. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the first motor and fan unit is connected to the brush roller by means of a first pulley mounted for rotation on an output shaft of the first motor, a second pulley mounted for rotation on the brush roller and a drive belt interconnecting the two pulleys. 
   
   
     7. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the dirt storage container includes a filter bag in communication with the passageway and the second motor and fan unit are outside of the filter bag and draw air through it. 
   
   
     8. An upright vacuum cleaner, comprising:
 a cleaning head engagable with a floor and having a suction nozzle and a brush roller rotatably mounted therein; 
 a first motor and fan unit mounted in the vacuum cleaner for producing suction in the suction nozzle and operatively connected to the brush roller for rotating it; 
 an upright housing connected to the cleaning head, the housing having a handle for moving the vacuum cleaner along the floor during floor cleaning use, a dirt storage container, a passageway leading from the suction nozzle in the cleaning head to the dirt storage container; and 
 a second motor and fan unit mounted in the upright housing and operatively associated with the dirt storage container for drawing dirt laden air from the cleaning head through the passageway and into the dirt storage container simultaneously with operation of the first motor and fan unit; and 
 an at least partially flexible cleaning hose having a passageway in communication with the housing passageway and having a second suction nozzle at one end thereof. 
 
   
   
     9. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 8 , including:
 a flow cut-off member mounted in the housing passageway positionable so as to close off the passageway leading from the suction nozzle in the cleaning head to the storage container housing passageway when the second nozzle is being utilized, the flow cut-off member being positionable so that the hose passageway stays in communication with the dirt storage container when the second nozzle is utilized. 
 
   
   
     10. An upright vacuum cleaner, comprising:
 a cleaning head engagable with a floor and having a suction nozzle and a brush roller rotatably mounted therein; 
 a first motor and fan unit mounted in the vacuum cleaner for producing suction in the suction nozzle and operatively connected to the brush roller for rotating it; 
 an upright housing connected to the cleaning head, the housing having a handle for moving the vacuum cleaner along the floor during floor cleaning use, a dirt storage container, a passageway leading from the suction nozzle in the cleaning head to the dirt storage container; and 
 a second motor and fan unit mounted in the upright housing and operatively associated with the dirt storage container for drawing dirt laden air from the cleaning head through the passageway and into the dirt storage container simultaneously with operation of the first motor and fan unit; and 
 a cut-off switch for turning off the first motor and fan unit while still allowing the second motor and fan unit to operate. 
 
   
   
     11. An upright vacuum cleaner, comprising:
 a cleaning head engagable with a floor and having a suction nozzle and a brush roller rotatably mounted therein; 
 a first motor and fan unit mounted in the vacuum cleaner for producing suction in the suction nozzle and operatively connected to the brush roller for rotating it; 
 an upright housing connected to the cleaning head, the housing having a handle for moving the vacuum cleaner along the floor during floor cleaning use, a dirt storage container, a passageway leading from the suction nozzle in the cleaning head to the dirt storage container; and 
 a second motor and fan unit mounted in the upright housing and operatively associated with the dirt storage container for drawing dirt laden air from the cleaning head through the passageway and into the dirt storage container simultaneously with operation of the first motor and fan unit, 
 wherein the first motor and fan unit is mounted in the upright housing.